Later, another order was sent to advance, but owing to the want of cover it was found impossible for the line to make headway in the face of the fire brought to bear upon it.  It was not until the Howitzer Battery was brought into action late in the day, to cover the retirement of the advanced companies, that Captain Emerson and his men were able to get back.  This they did under a very heavy fire from rifles and machine guns.

One company under Lieutenant Harris, which had been moved off to the right, had advanced and got into an exposed place.  The men took cover behind ant-hills, and remained there for the rest of the day.  Three companies had been moved to the neighbourhood of the guns.  These came under shell fire from the Boer guns and had some casualties, amongst whom was Colour-Sergeant Burchell, who was shot through the shoulder.  Under General Buller’s direct supervision one company was ordered forward.  Immediately their four scouts showed over the crest line a storm of bullets met them, and they were all hit.  The four scouts were found dead on the second day afterwards by the Liverpool Mounted Infantry.

Dusk found the companies posted as under:  Three companies extended on the ridge on the left, with two companies extended in support on the rear side of the hill.  One company was extended on the ridge in the centre, whilst three companies were near the guns, three-quarters of a mile away on the right.  One man was killed and one wounded just at dark by unaimed fire and by the last shots fired.  The companies on the ridge retired to the crest of the hill after dark and took up an entrenched outpost line for the night.  Rations were then issued for the following day.  It was a pitch-black night, and two cooks’ orderlies who had gone to fetch their company’s tea and sugar rations from their wagon, missed their way in the dark when returning, and walked into the Boer position, distant only a few hundred yards, and were made prisoners.  These two men were the first prisoners of war lost to the battalion up to this date; and with the exception of one other prisoner, who was temporarily in the hands of the Boers in the Badfontein valley in the following year, they were the only men of the battalion taken prisoners during the war.  The casualties of the battalion for the day were 6 killed, 15 wounded, and 2 prisoners.

Early the following morning the 7th Brigade, with the exception of the Manchester Regiment, moved off to the left, the Rifle Brigade, whose turn it was to lead, being in front.  The guns accompanied the brigade.

There was little or no opposition till the scouts came under fire from Bergendal Kopje, or Drie Kraal as it was otherwise known.  This rocky kopje was strongly fortified and held by the Boers.  A Field Battery opened fire on to the kopje at about 3000 yards’ range from some rising ground.  Shortly afterwards the remaining guns—­5-inch, 4.7’s, naval 12-pounders, in all to the number of about thirty-nine—­commenced pouring shells on to this one spot in the Boer position.  This shelling continued for about three hours.